Double twist spindle



Aug. 7, 1951 Filed Jan. 4,. 1950 E. COLOMBU ET AL DOUBLE TWIST SPINDLE 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS fuy/re Cola/r150 8 I BY Henm'f/rapuzl? 7, 1951 E. COLOMBU ETAL 2,563,641

DOUBLE TWIST S PINDLE Filed Jan. 4, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 21 ORNEY Patented Aug. 7, 1951 OFFICE nounu: 'rwrs'r srmnnr.

Eugene Colombo and Henri Chapuis, Paris, France, assignora to Compioir des Textiles Artiilciels, a corporation of France Application January 4, 1950, Serial No. 136,674 In France January 12, 1949 Claims. (Cl. 57-58) This invention relates to double twist spindles forimparting a twist to yarn and has for an ob- .iect to provide a high speed double twist spindle of novel and improved construction which is interchangeable with the usual spindles on standard twisting frames and which is particularly adapted for use with large yarn packages.

Another object is to provide a device of the above type having improved means for threading and starting and capable of smooth and uniform operation.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent as the nature of the invention is more fully disclosed.

The invention is particularly advantageous in the twisting of continuous silk or rayon, and more particularly of fine yarns. but it is likewise applicable to twisting or increasing the twist of any other yarn.

In double twist spindles the yarn is unwound from a stationary spool onto a hollow spindle revolving at high speed, and forms one loop as it unwinds and passes through the central opening of the spindle. whereupon it emerges below the spool through a lateral aperture and forms a second loop outside the first, passing towards a guide situated at a point on the axis of rotation of the spindle. Various means have previously been proposed for holding the spool stationary on the spindle, such arrangements depending on mechanical, electrical or electromagnetic means.

In accordance with the present invention the spindle is fitted at the point opposite the outlet aperture, with a conical plate reinforced by an exterior locking ring and having several channels, e. g. three, diverging within the conical body and facilitating the introduction of a needle to insert the thread at the starting.

The winding is enclosed in a stationary transparent bell shaped cap separating the two loops, particularly during starting operations. Still another feature consists in the'mounting of the spool on an intermediate cup supported on a housing mounted on roller bearings upon the upper part of the spindle with elastic buffers establishing a connection between the cup and the housing.

The nature of the invention will be better understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which a specific embodiment has been set forth.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a double twist spindle embodyins the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 4 :1

Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are horizontal sections taken on the lines 2-2, 4-4, 5-5 and 6-8 respectively of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view through one of the braking members by which the rotation of the spindle is stopped.

' Referring to the drawings more in detail the spindle including a shaft II, the lower portion of which has a conical end il resting on a special thrust-bearing l2 in a cup ii on a bracket The vertical position of the bearing I2 is adjusted by means of shim IS. The cup l3 constitutes an oil sump. A fixed banle it prevents creeping of oil along the shaft. The shaft It is centered and supported by a roller-bearing I! in a boss ll of the bracket H.

The upper portion of the shaft in is formed with an axial bore 20' enlarged'at either end and registering at the bottom with symmetrically inclined openings 2|, shown as three in numher and positioned apart, through which the yarn passes.

A tapered sleeve 22 with three channels 22 spaced 120 apart and registering with the openings 2| is hot-forced on the shaft [ll above the bearing H.

A circular plastic disc 25 is mounted on the sleeve 22 and has three inclined holes 28 positioned 120 apart registering with the channels 23 whose center lines are generatrices of a cone. Small resistant tubular inserts 21 are placed in these holes 26 to avoid mechanical degradation of the yarn by contact with the plastic disc.

The disc 25 is reinforced by a steel ring 28 coated with hard chrome. This specially shaped ring is likewise pierced with three holes at 120, matching those in the disc. It has a peripheral groove 29 so shaped that the yarn having one of three holes can wind helically on the ring and make one or more turns in the groove before separating from the ring and forming the lower part of the loop. The ring has a head 30 on its upper surface to match a groove 3| provided for the purpose in the lower part of a cup 32. If the yarn breaks, it will roll up on the bead 30, so that it cannot catch inside the spindle. All the movable parts are supported by the cup H of the bracket ll, permitting use on ordinary uptwisters in place of the usual spindle.

A cylindrical sleeve 25 of plastic or non-magnetic metal is iournalled on'anti-friction bearings 36 and 21 on the free upper end of the shaft 66 II with a lower shoulder 3| resting on the bear- 3 ingfl. Acollsprins "holds the bearing "in position.

A plastic cup I! is mounted on the sleeve 35 by two semi-flexible rubber buffers 4| and 42'. The upper portion'of this cup 32 carries the twist-halting arrangement, consisting of a steel ball 43' in a '60 cone ll concentric with the bore of the shaft It. The cone 44 is also of steel. but coated with hard chrome. This cone II is held in place by a nut I! screwed on the cup 32, and having a depending skirt 46 to sup-- port a metal cone 41 carrying the yarn package 40. The hemispherical upper end of the cone 41 is provided with a rolled bead 50 having a high polish and applying a slight tension to the yarn passing thereon, thus avoiding untwisted filaments. The general form of the cone 41 is such as to facilitate passage of the needle carrying the yarn. 32 is in the form of a truncated cone and has 'two rows of three rectangular openings 52 and is spaced 120 apart and adapted to receive the poles I and II of the magnetic holding means for the spool.

The lower part of the cup carries a smallbircular trough 56 to catch any lubricant that may leak from the bearing 30.

A transparent plastic bell is seated on a flange ll of the cup 31, encloses the spindle and prevents contact, during starting, between the unwound yam and the yarn forming the balloon.

In normal operation the balloon will only touch the bell in the event of overtension, e. g. as

when a knot passes.

cessed in the openings provided for the purpose in the cup 32.

The outer fitting 12, in the form of an inverted cup, is a piece of pressure-cast nonmagnetic metal or plastic. It is centered and attached by screws 13 to the upper part of the bracket ll. Six rectangular soft-iron plates 14 embedded 60 apart in the metal or other molded material, close the magnetic circuit, thus preventing rotation of the cup 32. The clearance required for the passage of yarn, may vary between 2 and 3 mm. At the bottom, the fitting 12 has a wide cut-out 15 opening above into a slit 16. These openings permit access to the revolving disc, and allow for initial needlingin of the yarn.

The closure consists of a pressed sheet-metal shutter ll enveloping the lower part of the outer fitting l2 and rotatable about the latter. It is centered by a groove 19a in a collar 19 of the bracket M. It has a cut-out of the same shape as that in the outer fitting. By simply tuming this part, the opening in the fitting may be opened or closed at, will. Braking is accomplished by three small pins 80, one of which is shown enlarged in Fig. 7, 120 apart, passing through the outer fitting and raised by three As they rise, three pins slightly lift the disc A and hold it. They are retained by three leaf springs 82 when the rotation of the shutter is reversed. The relative positions of these parts are such that the opening operation causes the braking 'of the spindle and the closing operation I the spindle is stopped by turning the shutter The outer surface of the cup I8 whereupon the belt 0! slides on the spindle shaft l0. V

with the bell II removed, the needling in of the yarn is accomplished by means of 'a tool made of piano wire. having a small hook at one end and a'ri'ng' large enough to admit a,'

finger at the other. This tool is inserted in one of the holes 20 in the disc' 25 and pushed through until it projects 4 or 5 cm. past the end of the metal-cone 4|. The yarn isthen passed through the hook, unwinding a few turns which then wind themselves around the tool. By withdrawing the tool, the yarn is brought out through the hole 26 in the revolving disc 25. 58 is replaced, the yarn is needled through the slit It in the outer fitting II and then through, a guide 86, and is manually wound on a spool for winding which is then placed on its holder in the upper position, but without touching its drive roll. The spindle is started by turning the shutter and the winding spool is placed in I contact with its driveroll. The path of the yarn (on the spindle) is as shown in Fig. 2.

The yarn. after insertion as explained above,

passes over the spherical and highly polished head of the metal cone ll, producing a slight tension and ensuring uniform feed. This tension prevents separation of the individual filaments. It then passes between the metal ball 43 and associated cone 44, whose chief function is to prevent the twist from snarling back to the winding. However this arrangement also makes it possible to control the yarntension and thereby the diameter of the balloon, which increases when the tension decreases, and vice versa.

The yarn then passes down the bore 20 of the shaft l0, through one of the holes 24 in the disc 28 and in one or more turns around the chromed steel ring 20, the number of turns depending on the tension applied by the preceding elements. The yarn then balloons out centrifugally and passes through the guide 00 to the winding spool.

} In constant speed running, the spindle gives rise to a very stable balloon, the arc covered by the yarn on the ring reducing incidental irregularities of the feed, due to snubbing action. Any knots in the yarn on delivery spool, if not eliminated at the upper-bead 50, will easily pass, provided of course that they are'small.

The spindle for much larger windings, up to 2000 grams, is similar indesign, but is of course larger and carries larger bearings, such as ball bearings where necessary in view of the greater weight.

The device described has numerous advantages. The permanent magnet used does not involve the complications of electromagnetic or mechanical systems, and imposes no speed limitation. The ball brake affords a simple and accurate maintenance of uniform tension, and

stoppage of the first twist. The brake shutter cam surfaces II when the shutter is rotated. can rotate with a minimum of air resistance and The bell thereforethe cup requires a minimum amount of power for its operation; Hence the spindle pursuant to the invention is comparable in power requirements to conventional spindles. This advantage is still more marked in the case of extremely high twists.

Inasmuch as the space occupied by this spindle is comparable to that of an ordinary uptwister spindle, it is possible by its use to increase the output of the mill. The simplicity of the device permits mass production at a favorable price, and most of the cast parts canbe used rough without machining, Only the revolving parts require careful balancing to permit speeds of rotation higher than those of ordinary spindles, one of whose disadvantages is that they are out-balanced at less than crictical speed.

The highly uniform operation without breakage obtained by means of this device, even in the case of very heavy packages, substantially reduces interventionsof the operator, and thereby reduces labor costs.

What is claimed is:

1. A double twist spindle for a yarn twister comprising a vertical shaft rotatably mounted in upper and lower: bearings and projecting upage support journalled on said shaft, above said upper bearinaan annular outer member disposed around said support, magnetic members carried by said outer member and by said support to hold said support against rotation, a rotatable sleeve on said outer member, openings in said last sleeve and in said 01 tax member to be aligned for threading the spindle, a brake carried by said outer member are-2:,ed to stop said shaft, and means actuated by said last sleeve in responseto turning thereof to set'and release said brake, said shaft having an axial bore extending from its upper end to receive yarn from saidpackage, a disc fixed to said shaft below s .d package support having a plurality of symmetrical, upwardly inclined holes communicating with said bore and terminating in the outer periphery'of said disc and adapted to paw a flexible wire for threading the spindle.

2. A spindle, as set forth in claim 1, in which said brake comprises a set of pins carried by said outer member to engage said disc and said last sleeve carries inclined su'rfaces adapted to raise said pins into braking contact with said disc.

3. A spindle, as set forth in claim 1, in which said yarn package support comprises a conical member, said last member having a. top rim to engage and apply friction to the yarn passing thereover from said package into said bore.'

wardly above said upper bearing, a yarn packsaid last sleeve and .in said outer member to be aligned for threading the spindle, said shaft having an axial bore extending from its upper end to receive yarn from said package, a disc fixed to said shaft below said package support having a plurality of symmetrical, upwardly inclined holes communicating with said bore and terminating in the outer periphery of said disc and adapted to pass a flexible wire for the spindle; I

5. A double twist spindle ,for a yam twister, comprising a vertical shaft, a yarn package support journalled on said shaft, a circular permanent magnet attached to said support, a pair of annular armatures carried at the top and bottom of said magnet and each having a plurality of outwardly. projecting pole pieces equally spaced circumferentially, an outer annular member of non-magnetic material disposed around said support and a plurality of spaced plates of magnetic material carried by said outer memher and disposed to close-the magnetic circuit Number between said armatures with a short air gap for the passage of the yarn.

EUGENE COLOMBU. HENRI CHAPUIS.

REFERENCES CITED file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 2,125,823 2,156,330 2,233,645 2,374,085 2,379,806 2,445,721 2,487,838 2,492,778

Smith Mar. 4, 1941 Gwaltney et al. Apr. 17, 1945 Kent July 3, 1945 Bartholomew July 20, 1948 Uhlig Nov. 15, 1949 Agresti et al Dec. 27, 1949' FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Number Germany Feb. 15, 1938 threading Stoddard A118. 2. 1938 Bochmann May 2, 1939 

